Kaley Cuoco Finds The Big Bang Theory More Bearable on Mute

The show eventually ended not because the audience faded, but because the cast was ready to move on from Penny, Sheldon, Leonard, and the rest of "the gang". By the final season, the main stars were earning a rumored $1 million per episode – that's each, not altogether. Even now that it's over, The Big Bang Theory runs in syndication seemingly endlessly.

If you're ever in a motel in the middle of nowhere with nothing but the TV on, chances are you can find an episode of the show to keep you company. (I just hope for your sake that it's not one of the early episodes, where Howard is super, super creepy. (Sorry not sorry, Howard.)

Given that the success of The Big Bang Theory has made Kaley Cuoco a millionaire many, many times over, you'd think she'd enjoy looking back on it. However, the star has said in interviews that she actually can't stand watching the show – and when she does, it's on mute.

Cuoco says that this is partly due to the fact that, like many performers, she doesn't enjoy watching herself act. It's like the movie equivalent of hearing a recording of your own voice: no matter how natural it sounds to others, it's going to sound weird to you.

It's not just that though. Cuoco says that she particularly hates watching the early episodes of the show before she settled into Penny and made the character a little more grounded. She now says that she "cringes" watching those early acting choices.

However, Cuoco does relish looking at Penny's earlier costumes. Before maturing in the later seasons, Penny started out in a lot of baby tees, bare midriffs, and embroidered jeans.

Since The Big Bang Theory left the air, Kaley Cuoco has had some major ups and downs. Her second marriage ended in divorce in 2021, and she has recently opened up on her struggles with depression, anxiety, and physical stress symptoms after the split. In one recent interview, she describes the latter, saying:

"I developed a stress rash that ran all the way down my body for three straight months that wouldn't go away. I literally, like, had fire on my leg for three months. I could barely walk."

However, it seems that with the help of friends and therapy, Cuoco is doing a lot better. Her critical and ratings hit The Flight Attendant has a second season coming out soon, meaning that in spite of the smash success of The Big Bang Theory she might not be known as Penny forever. Maybe one day it'll be far enough in the past that she can actually enjoy the show with the sound on.